A native of Marianna, Arkansas, he marked 50 years in the ministry in churches in Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas. Bro. Bowman was gifted with a wonderful singing voice, and that was a great part of his ministry. Supporting him in his ministry was his wife of 48 years, Nettie Ann Brown Bowman, who died March 9, 2003.

He is survived by a son, Stan Bowman (Danielle) of Grove Hill, Ala.; two daughters, Melissa Speer (Ben) of Lakeland, Tenn., and Karen Lynch of Conway; a brother, former Missionary Bobby Bowman (Ruth) of Conway; 7 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Oct. 18 at Powell Funeral Home in Bald Knob. (powellfuneralhome.net) Interment was at Carter Cemetery in Russell, Arkansas

Memorials may be made to the Baptist Trumpet, 10712 Interstate 30, Little Rock, Ark. 72209.

Pastor’s Note: Bro. Ray was a great man of God and will be sorely missed by all who knew him. He pastored First Baptist Church of Mantachie 1990-1995. May his memory be long remembered.

Please pray during this service that God will work in a life in the following areas:

___ I need to become a Christian.___ I am no longer close to God, and I need to return to an intimate relationship with Him.___ I am seeking God’s direction about a church home in this community.___ I am lonely and need Christian fellowship.___ I have sinned and need to confess, repent, and experience God’s cleansing and forgiveness.___ My spouse/child are not Christians.___ My child is living in rebellion. Pray that he/she will return to the Lord.___ I am experiencing problems in my marriage, and I need God’s help with our reconciliation.___ I think God may be calling me to a church vocation or to missions.___ I have an important decision to make and want to know God’s will.___ I am facing a moral decision, and I need strength to obey God.

There were two favored spots in the life of our Lord – the mountain and the sea. Paul was a man of the cities and that was well for the spreading of the gospel required of such a man in the great centers of crowded humanity. But our model, our example, set us the perfect pattern and pace in the gait of Galilee. He arose long before day, found a solitary place, and there prayed. He found both time and place for communion with God and so must we. Both are hard to come by today in this rat race – this madhouse we misnamed Progress. If you find such a spot for solitude you must pay a price. The places grow fewer and harder to reach, and a Christian must devise ways and means to find his hiding place unknown to telephones and committees and those pests who steal his time to no good purpose at all - and time is the scarcest commodity ever.